by Tanya Lisle
“If you’re going to keep being a pain in our asses, you could at least let us try to distract you with a date.”
“I’d really rather you didn’t.”
Indira wasn’t sure if she should even approach them, but Penny had already spotted her and waved her over. She could feel the distrust of her coming off of Brittany and Laura, though she did nothing to show that she knew it. For now, she still didn’t know who Penny was going to bring along with her, and if Brittany or Laura decided to join in, she would need to keep them from fighting her on the plan.
“Hey,” Indira said, looking up at the sign. “Winter formal? Are those as… exciting here?”
“No,” Penny said.
“Good. You know who you’re going with?”
Penny shook her head, waving her off before stapling the poster into the wall. She started to wander down the hall to put up another. “I’m too busy for dating right now between school and everything else.”
“You really should drop the everything else,” Laura suggested with a sidelong glare at her. “The everything else really isn’t necessary.”
“The Welcoming Committee is still a good idea,” Penny said. “Showing people around and getting them used to everything. Like, I know it’s been a little all over the place with everything else happening, but as soon as I get everything together, I really do want to do it. I mean, we’ve gotten all the permissions necessary and everything. It would be a waste to not use it.”
Indira had heard how passionate Penny was about the Welcoming Committee already, though it was surprising to see how grudgingly receptive Brittany and Laura were to the idea as well. Though it was clear they did not want anything to do with some of the other ventures that Penny was undertaking in its name, they softened at the insistence that they pursue it.
“If we actually use it,” Brittany said, giving Penny another poster to put up. Brittany wasn’t entirely convinced Penny wasn’t going to keep using it as a front to keep recruiting people into dangerous and sometimes deadly missions. Laura was more optimistic, shaking her head next to her.
“If she doesn’t, I will,” Laura said. It's still a good idea.
“We will,” Penny assured them.
“Well, that’s good,” Brittany said. “It was going to start looking weird if there were these meetings and nothing was actually coming out of them. The school might think you were trying to steal funding and trying to pull some shit. Although you’re going to have to cut the post-meeting meeting after this. People are starting to wonder what that’s about.”
“We shouldn’t need it for much longer,” Penny assured her.
“We’ll see how that goes,” Laura said. She looked over at Indira, eyebrow raised as she regarded her closely for the first time, and a faint smile ghosted over her lips. “I hear someone got herself a date with the worst possible guy she could have gone for,” she said, more chiding and amused than angry about it. “Although I wouldn’t trust Penny for date advice, if that’s what you’re looking for.”
“You what?” Brittany demanded. She looked her over and narrowed her eyes on her, hand darting out to grab her arm and pull her close. Indira froze, impulse to run away overrun by the fear of what was coming next, as Brittany leaned in close and dropped her voice down into a quiet hiss. “What did I tell you? You think I was kidding?”
Laura stepped in and pulled Brittany back by the shoulder. She took the stapler from Penny’s hands before before gently tugging Brittany away. “We can finish up with the rest of these. Penny, try to talk her out of it. Otherwise she’s going to blow everyone’s cover.”
Brittany let herself be pulled away, though her glare did not leave Indira. Brittany was buzzing with screamed thoughts, ideas that had not formed into words, though Indira knew what she wanted. They needed to talk and Indira needed to understand that what she was doing was going to get them all killed, not just herself. Brittany didn’t like her, didn’t trust her, and Indira was putting them all in jeopardy.
“Come on,” Indira said, putting her arm around Penny’s shoulders and leading her down the hall. “We’ve got a few things to talk about.”
“I heard!” Penny snapped at her. “You got a date?”
“Kyle. Tomorrow night.”
“Oh.” The confusion was immediately evident as she thought about it. She knew what the date lined up with and she didn’t understand how that was going to work. She worried that Indira was going to back out and leave her and everyone else without a plan. That this meant she was going to need to pull this off, and she couldn’t quite remember what they were supposed to do. That she had to make sure that this didn’t turn out like Halloween again. “I guess that makes sense.”
It’s an alibi, Indira told her in her mind. Esther warned me that I’m being watched a little more closely because Kyle’s interested, so it seems like the best way to throw them off. Don’t worry, the plan is still in place. And you are going to listen to what I’m telling you to do so that we don’t have anyone else going down.
Penny opened her mouth to speak and then snapped it shut, freezing in place as she realized Indira’s mouth wasn’t moving. She looked at Indira, and then around at the other students milling about, then directly at a couple of the specks.
Indira pulled Penny along as she continued. I’m hooking all of the people you’re taking with tomorrow into the little network I’m setting up for you. Just so you can get used to using it. You need to learn how to talk to each other like this or you’re getting yourselves given away because you’ll be yelling at each other when you don’t need to be. I need you to let me in a little more so I can hook this up, and I need to know who you’re taking.
Penny nodded and adjusted the shields on her mind to let Indira gain a stronger hold. It was a strange thing to feel, as the magic and the psychic powers found a happy medium. Indira could tell she was trying to make sure Indira didn’t get in too far, to make sure she didn’t see anything she wasn’t supposed to, and Indira did nothing to pry.
Is it working? Her voice was timid and tentative, still sounding like it was very far away as she did it.
Indira nodded. Relax. We’re going to get everyone used to this before you go in.
So what’s the plan? Though she sounded stronger, Penny was still working to make sure Indira didn’t get too far into her head.
Indira let out a breath, unable to think of a way to assure her that she wasn’t going to go in any further. Reconnaissance, she said. I know the place and there’s a way in that you guys should be able to get to with no problem. In and out and you’ll be fine.
Penny didn’t look pleased about it and the thoughts rolled out almost immediately in an unfiltered mess of sound before she pulled herself back. She was disappointed in what Indira had said, which was fine, but she moved away from Indira and shook her head, giving her a visible frown as her inner voice sputtered out words that didn’t quite amount to anything.
Process then think, Indira told her. It’s a little weird to get the hang of, so that’s why we’re doing this today. And in response to that junk you just spewed out, tough shit. There’s a room at the end of the hall and I don’t know what’s in it yet, so I’m not about to tell you to go in there. Just get close enough to take a peek inside and we can start mapping the rest of the place from there.
But if we get the opportunity, why would we just leave? Do you know how long we’ve been waiting for a shot at taking this place down? Wherever they’re keeping everyone, that’s probably where the whole base is. If we take that tower down, then there’s no way they can do anything after that.
Penny did nothing to hide her disappointment in Indira’s mind, though outwardly she was calm as they walked side by side. Indira stopped at her locker and had to reach out to Penny to stop her from walking into oncoming foot traffic.
You have to learn to split your focus a little better, Indira told her. There’s no tower on this one anyway, so nothing for you to blow up. And I don’t know wh
at’s in that room. I get stuck trying to get close to it. There’s no telling how dangerous it is and we’re going to play this a lot more carefully so we don’t have any more losses, you got me? You already lost one person because of poor communication and lack of foresight.
That apparently stung a lot deeper than Indira was expecting it to. Penny straightened up and the walls in her mind grew thicker and tighter, making what she said next much more quiet. I’m going to fix that.
Indira let out a sigh and changed out her books for the morning. We’ll see, she said. Who else you got going with you?
Penny considered it, though there were many other things she was considering as well. Though she was trying to keep Indira from prying into her head, she did let her thoughts slip out where she could see them. Already she was thinking of ways around the plan, things she could do to push this into being more than just looking into a room.
Matt, she told Indira. Esther. Ronnie. Between us, we should be able to move quick and quiet enough to get in and out.
Indira closed her locker, though left her hand on the lock. She tapped her finger gently on the metal. Ronnie and Esther, both of whom Shiraz could see would die soon. Indira knew better than to directly warn anyone of their death, seeing time and again how it only made people more reckless.
Those two? Indira pressed. She adjusted her backpack on her back and started to lead them back down the hall. Esther and Ronnie don’t seem like the best choice.
Penny didn’t look happy about it either. Ronnie’s fast and he can deal with anything unexpected. And Esther is probably the best we have. She sees them coming before anyone else and she seems to just know how to deal with everything we come across.
Indira pulled Penny next to her and out of the way of the wall. Remember, Indira said gently. Split focus. Think of it like texting and walking. You don’t have to concentrate that much to get the words out in here, but you do have to pay a little attention. Now, go find everyone you want in on this and let them know. Think at me and I’ll hook them in.
Can’t you just do it?
It’s polite to ask before you go into someone’s head.
Penny nodded. “Thanks,” she said out loud, though she didn’t sound sincere. She was lost in thoughts that emanated as a hum in her mind. Indira let her go to find Matt so that she could get him hooked in as well.
Just as Penny disappeared, Brittany rounded the corner ahead of her. Indira considered avoiding her, but there was no reason for it. Though Brittany intimidated her and made her feel uneasy, she could tell that the distrust coming off of her was due to the things Indira had done. She had been the one to knock her out, and now she was going out with someone who Brittany felt was dangerous for them all.
“No, I don’t think I’m hot shit,” Indira said as she walked towards her. “What teen movie cliché did you walk out of to have that one ready?”
Brittany shook her head and narrowed her eyes on her. They stopped by a window to talk, Indira standing on one side of the small glass opening overlooking the courtyard below while Brittany stood on the other side of it. “Fine,” she said, though she didn’t sound happy about it. “If I can handle Penny and her crap, I can deal with whatever you are no problem. I just want to know what you’ve got planned.”
“You mean what Penny’s got planned,” Indira corrected her.
“No, I don’t.” Brittany stared at her, demanding that Indira stop underestimating her intelligence. Indira fought the urge to back away from her until she was out of arm’s reach. “Just tell me what’s going on.”
“Well, I’m going out tomorrow night,” Indira told her. “It sounds like Penny is getting a few people together to have a little fun and take care of a couple things. She’s supposed to just check out this new place in town. I’m hoping she just goes and pokes around a little and waits for me to come with her later, anyway, but at this point I have no idea what she’s going to do.”
Brittany seemed well versed in the double speak. Indira was grateful for that because it felt like she was doing this very incorrectly. Instead, Brittany made a sour face and let out a breath. “So she’ll be taking her brother with her,” Brittany said, clearly unhappy about it. “If you talk to him, he might be able to keep her from doing anything too stupid. Who else? The fake isn’t going to want to join in if she doesn’t get to wreck a couple things.”
Indira didn’t understand who she was talking about. Penny? Penny seemed just as authentic a witch or sorceress as anyone she’d met before.
“Esther,” Brittany explained. “Fake as her mother.”
Matt’s here, Penny said in her mind.
Indira was easily able to find his thread and hook him into the network. Hey Matt. I’m in the middle of something, so Penny will let you know what’s going on.
As Penny and Matt talked, she let that conversation drift to the back of her mind as she focused on Brittany. Was she really accusing Esther of being powerless? Not that it really mattered, given how much Esther seemed to know about dealing with hero - or perhaps only villain - matters. Esther had never claimed she had any abilities, had said that they never found any powers for her mother, but somehow Indira had never really figured that meant that Esther was powerless.
“I always assumed-”
“Don’t do that anymore, Indira,” Brittany said. “Assuming anything around here is going to get you in trouble. Now, you know what I’m actually trying to ask here, I’m sure. But I’m really not as big of a bitch as you think I am.”
“The thing with Matt?” Indira asked. “That’s not bitchy. As I understand it, it’s necessary for some people. I just think it’s unfortunate that you’re dragging him into the middle of it when you could find someone who would do it willingly.”
“In this place?” Brittany shook her head. “No one’s lasted long enough. It sucks that there’s only one of him, though. It would have been nice to not have to fight over him. If there were two of him, we could have had this whole thing settled already.”
“I don’t think it has to be a guy,” Indira told her.
“What?”
“It doesn’t - Actually, I’m not sure about your specific magic stuff,” she said. What she’d just said seemed to have knocked Brittany for a strange loop, one that was threatening to send her away before she had finished saying everything she needed to. “Forget it. That’s not why you wanted to have this little chat. What did you want? It can’t just be knowing what Matt’s up to on Friday night.”
“You’re sure they’re going to stay out of trouble when they go?” she asked. “They have a bit of a reputation for getting in a little over their head.”
“I’m sure they won’t be there long,” Indira told her. “They’re just going to go in, poke around a little, then head out to catch the rest of Whitten’s nightlife. Whatever that might be. I doubt anyone will even know they were in there in the first place.”
“And who’s the kink in the plan?” she asked. Indira knew from the look that she was expecting there to be someone who was going to cause problems and Indira thought immediately of Penny. But Penny wasn’t one of the people with a death mark looming over her.
“There’s a kid from my brother’s class who might end up tagging along,” Indira said. “Ronald Webster. He seems like a bit of a liability, you know? Might get them into a bit more trouble than they might otherwise. But if he can’t get in touch with them until then, then how is he going to know when and where to meet them?”
Brittany ran a slender finger slowly, almost seductively, over her lips and smiled. “Consider him not a problem anymore,” she said, a glimmer in her eyes like she’d just done something terrible that she enjoyed entirely too much. “You keep my investment alive and we’ll call it even.”
“Esther too.”
Brittany shook her head, offering her a wry smile “Nothing I can do about her. You’re on your own with that one. Also, you have shit taste in men. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She patted Indira o
n the shoulder and made her way to her next class.
“I know exactly what I’m doing,” Indira said, though Brittany was already gone.
The phone buzzed in her pocket and she looked at it, finding a text from Shiraz waiting for her. The mark on Ronnie’s gone. What did you do?
She walked and texted him back. I made a deal. Your friend is safe.
What about yours?
Working on it.
She tucked the phone back in her pocket and nearly ran into Kyle in the process. He smiled as he caught her by the arms, then pulled back immediately, a deep flush forming across his face. “Hey,” he said. The nerves were getting to him and he was looking far more excited to see her than she thought he would. “So, I was thinking, about tomorrow.”
Indira smiled and fell into the cautious conversation Kyle was trying to have. In the back of her mind, Penny and Matt sounded like they were starting to get used to talking and walking at the same time, both of them splitting up to try and find Esther and Ronnie so that they could be brought in. She ignored them, helping Kyle outline the plan for her to get out of the house on Friday night.
Chapter 20
Meeting the Parents
Brittany was right about at least one thing. Penny was absolutely no help when it came to dating. Indira looked over her clothing options for her date tonight and Penny’s pick would have her covered so thoroughly that even her parents would wonder what she was trying to get away with.
It’s going to be cold, Penny reminded her.
They’re going to a movie, Esther said. Who cares? I say go for the blue one. It’s good with your eyes and not too low cut. He gets a little distracted and then it’s impossible to get him to look back up again. Trust me, it’s a bit of a pain.
I do not have that problem, Indira laughed. She could feel Matt growing more embarrassed with every passing moment of this conversation. At the very least, they seemed calm and ready for whatever it was they were getting themselves into. Matt had even confirmed that this would be better as strict reconnaissance, which seemed enough to keep Penny from pressing any further. The only dangling element was whether or not pulling the plan back this far would save Esther.
